Purpleluva01's 30 Parts Of A Whole
by Purpleluva01
Summary: Just a couple of fluffy One-shots between Aldrea and Dak Hamee; there aren't enough stories here about them! All characters belong to their owner respectfully!
1. Chapter 1: Flower

**_Reptilian-Angel's_**

**_30 Pieces of a Whole_**

**_By Reptilian-Angel_**

* * *

**_Chapter 1:_**

**_Flower_**

((Dak, what kind of flower is that?))

"Hmm?"

Aldrea pointed up towards the branch only a few feet above them. Dak looked up and quickly caught sight of the said plant.

It was a small flower, about the size of his palm. Its petals were a pinkish white hue with a red tint, their middles and speckled with orange dots near the edges.

Recognizing it, Dak said, "That's the _Milast_ Flower. They're a rare kind of flower but you would always see a bundle or two near the Western tribe Tree or sometimes at the Southern Tribe Tree."

Aldrea took a second to absorb this. ((I remember once seeing another Hork-Bajir male giving one of these flowers to another female while I was a _Chadoo_. Does it mean anything?)) She asked, keeping her stalk eyes on the flower and her main eyes towards Dak.

Dak nodded. "It's supposed to represent true love for another, never-ending friendship and fondness and willingness to be with the other always. It's often used when Hork-Bajir males are courting other females but rarely since the _Milast's_ seeds are hard to find and grow."

Aldrea's eye-ridge rose ever so slightly as she turned all four eyes towards the flower. ((That Hork-Bajir must've loved the other very much.))

"No doubt." Dak agreed, giving his companion a thoughtful side-glance.

The Hork-Bajir male and Andalite female continued to look at the flower in silence for a few moments. Dak was the first to break it by asking suddenly, "Do Andalite males give flowers to females of their choice?"

((No.)) Aldrea shook her head as she began to walk a couple paces away in thought. ((We Andalites simply court another until one either proposes or waits for arrangements made from their elders. To marry the one courting her or the one that her father picked for her is always uncertain. Sometimes, some Andalites don't even marry at all. Which is ludicrous considering that the Electorate decreed for us to have more marriages.))

"Why would they decree that?" Dak pondered aloud.

((. . . So there would be future children to raise and train for the war going on.)) Aldrea couldn't help but feel her voice falter at her own words. Not wanting to appear disturbed, she then quickly began to ramble, ((Personally, I'm not one for marriage myself. Many of my friends often told me that any male who married me would probably slit his throat with his own tail-blade or become a computer designer rather spend the rest of their lives with me –))

She wasn't even aware that Dak wasn't listening until –

_SNAP!_

_CRACK!_

_RUSTLE, RUSTLE!_

_CRACK!_

Suddenly, Aldrea blinked in bewilderment at the sight that had just swung in before her. Dak was now hanging upside down casually as he held out something towards her; something that made her face grow hot. Clutched carefully in his fingers, was the _Milast_ flower.

"Here." Dak said simply with a smile.

Eyes wide in shock, Aldrea stuttered incoherently as she kept her eyes on the flower. Finally gaining some of her senses after a moment or two, she looked up at Dak in confusion, ((Um, thank you, Dak. But what exactly are you doing?))

Dak smiled as though her question was a dumb one, "You looked like you wanted the _Milast_, so I got it for you."

Aldrea blinked again. ((That's very sweet of you, Dak. But why would you –)) She paused to consider her words carefully. ((I mean, didn't you tell me a minute ago that this flower was used for –))

"I remember what I said, Aldrea." Dak said, cutting her off. "I also said that this flower is a sign of never-ending friendship and eternal fondness, right?"

((R-right.)) Aldrea's face grew hot again in spite of herself.

"So . . . There would be nothing wrong with giving this to you if we are just friends, right?"

((. . .)) Aldrea didn't know how to respond to that. She looked down at the flower, its delicate features sharply contrasting against the grotesque claws of the Hork-Bajir holding it. Briefly catching the gentle glint on Dak's eyes and looking back down at the flower, her hearts began to race involuntarily.

Without furthur ado, Aldrea slowly raised a delicate, seven-digit hand. Hesitating for a second, she brought it forward, brushing it against Dak's, and carefully took the _Milast_. Aldrea cupped the plant in her hands, fingertips tracing the spots in silent awe.

_Just friends. _She told herself. _Just friends._

((Right.)) Aldrea stated, her bright green eyes smiling.

As she held the flower to her chest, unaware to her, Dak smiled.


	2. Chapter 2: Drawing

**_Chapter 2:_**

**_Drawing_**

_Skritch, skritch, skratch . . ._

Dak frowned in concentration. The shoulders looked right but the neck needed to look a bit thinner.

_Skratch, skritch, skratch . . ._

In this case, the extra set of eyes would just be little dots and the stalks would just look like little strings. Dak rolled the little burnt stick around his claws. Maybe he could –

((Dak, what are doing?))

That silent, mental voice alone made Dak jump and drop the stick from his hand and onto the ground with a 'Snap!'. On pure instinct, he slapped both of his hands over the bark-stripped patch and nervously met the voice owner's eyes as much as he could. "O-oh! A-Aldrea! Hello! What brings you here?"

Aldrea blinked in confusion towards him with all four eyes but answered regardless. ((I had nothing to do, so I thought I would come and see you.))

"That's awfully thoughtful of you, Aldrea." Dak admitted as he, with some difficulty, turned around while keeping his hands over the patch in a poor attempt to hide it. "I didn't even hear you coming. Did you come here with the _Chadoo_ morph?" He voiced carefully, making sure he sounded as inconspicuous as possible.

Aldrea nodded. ((I wanted to try and practice being in the morph a bit before I came here. Also I wanted to see if I could track down any other animals I could use a morph . . .)) She silently noted Dak's nervous fidgeting and obvious desire to make sure he was the only thing in her line of sight. His constant glances towards whatever was behind him didn't help anything either.

He was hiding something.

((Dak, what are you hiding?))

"Pardon?" Dak stuttered nervously.

((Don't bother trying to hide it. It's obvious you're hiding something.)) Aldrea crossed her arms.

"W-what do you mean?"

((You keep fidgeting and looking back at me and behind your back like some sort of guilty child.)) Aldrea pointed out blatantly.

"What? I-I-I am not!" Dak all but exclaimed, feeling his face grow hot.

((Dak, you are many things but you are a horrible liar.)) Aldrea raised an eye-ridge at him. ((Now, what are you hiding from me?))

"Nothing!"

((Dak . . .))

". . . . . . . . . . . If I show you, you'll laugh."

((What? Dak, I won't laugh.))

"That's what you say now, but what happens later; you laugh."

((Dak, I give you my word, I won't laugh.))

". . . . . . . . . . . . . . You swear you won't laugh?"

((I just said that I gave you my word, didn't I? Don't worry, you can trust me.))

Dak still didn't look too sure. Regardless, he let out a relenting sigh and stepped out of the way. What Aldrea saw next made her eyes go wide in surprise.

On the bare patch of the tree was a simply little drawing. Clearly drawn by soot and burnt twigs, it held some smudges and scrapings that were made by big fingers and claws.

But it was _what_ the drawing was that caught her attention.

With a small tail-blade, four sets of eyes and a mouth-less face along with the small arms and little flank, it was easily recognizable as an Andalite female. But not just any female.

It was _her_.

Drawn in burnt twig and on a much smaller scale as though by a child, was _her_.

She could tell Dak was rubbing his neck in embarrassment without even looking at him.

Unable to think of response, Aldrea simply blinked then suddenly broke out into a cheery laugh.

Dak instantly felt his face grow hot as he said indignantly, "Hey! C'mon, you said that you wouldn't laugh! Aldrea!" Aldrea continued laughing nonetheless. Now totally embarrassed, Dak turned away from her and huffed, "I'll admit it's not exactly the best, but it really isn't that horrible to laugh at –"

((No!)) Aldrea choked out as she continued her mirth.

"Huh?" This time, Dak was the one blinking at her in confusion.

After a moment or two, Aldrea finally controlled herself long enough to say, ((No, Dak, I'm sorry.)) She apologized with an eyeful smile. ((I wasn't laughing because it was bad.))

"Really?" Dak said curiously. "Then why were you laughing?"

((Hhmn . . . . I'm laughing because it's probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen.))

Dak's eyes went wide in surprise. After a minute or two, he choked out, ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R-Really?"

Composing herself, Aldrea nodded. ((Yes, really.))

Dak felt his hearts thud rapidly. He desperately hoped that even with her excellent hearing, Aldrea wouldn't be able to hear them. He also felt warm for some inexplicable reason. In spite of himself, Dak smiled brightly, twisting the grotesque features on his face enough to scare the living hell out of everybody who didn't know him, as he chuckled, "I'm glad you like it!"

Aldrea saw this smile and quickly turned away as she also felt her face grow hot. Looking up at the drawing again, she asked, ((Dak?))

"Yes?"

((. . . . . Do you think you can make a bare patch for me to use too?))

". . . . Sure."


	3. Chapter 3: Injury

**_Chapter 3:_**

**_Injury_**

_THWACK!_

"OW!"

_THUMP!_

((Dak!))

Dak cursed as he rubbed his skin beside his horns to relieve the new-found ache. Looking at the said arm, he now saw a huge gash on his upper arm close to his shoulder; it already bleeding dark blue/greenish blood and having it trail down his limb. He frowned. Figures. That's what he got for not being careful.

Dak was just harvesting some back from the _Stoola_ tree as per usual when Aldrea, flying the _Chadoo_ form, suddenly appeared. No doubt for another one of her friendly visits.

He only wished that he wasn't in the middle of slicing off that incredibly tense and sharp-barked branch when he raised a hand up to greet her.

Before he realized it, the branch flung out of his hands and snapped back; hitting Dak square in the horns and slicing a good bit of his arm before the shock of it sent him to the ground.

Now, here he was; looking pitiful with sore horns and a bleeding arm. Great.

As he sat up stiffly, Aldrea was quick to land on the ground, morph back to her Andalite form and trot over to him; worry clear in her bright green eyes. ((Dak, are you alright?)) She asked worryingly as she rushed over.

Not wanting to worry his friend, Dak waved his hand off to her in reassurance. "Yes, Aldrea, it's alright, don't worry."

((I'm worried.)) Aldrea shot back as she carefully took one of his bladed arms into her own delicate hands and helped him up to his feet. When she caught sight of his arm, she gasped in surprise. ((Dak, you're bleeding!))

"It's only a little flesh wound. Nothing to fret about." Dak tried to coax her but Aldrea immediately said, ((Nothing to –? Dak, it's covering nearly half your arm!))

"Hork-Bajir heal quickly. I'll be fine." Dak stated, pressing his hand against the gash in an effort to stop the bleeding.

((But by the time the arm heals, you'll probably end up getting an infection. Didn't you tell me once that an elder Hork-Bajir once died from a wound like this when he was harvesting bark once?))

"Well, yes, but –"

((Don't argue with me, Dak.)) Aldrea then took his hand and begun to pull him along. ((Come on, I'll take you back to my scoop and see if I can –))

Dak suddenly rooted himself to the spot. Aldrea nearly stumbled from this in surprise. Looking at him through her stalk eyes, Aldrea tried pulling him along again but he refused to budge. Finally, she stopped and sighed, ((Dak, what are you doing?))

"What does it look like?" Dak blinked down at her.

((You acting like a child and refusing to move.)) Aldrea stated bluntly.

"I am not acting like child!" Dak said indignantly.

((Then what are you doing?)) Aldrea asked.

"Can't you just try and treat my arm here?"

((Why? How come?))

"No offense . . . . But I really don't think it's a good idea to try and take me to your scoop."

((And why is that?))

" . . ."

((. . . . . . You're still afraid of the syringes and needles in the clinic, aren't you?))

Dak, after a moment or two, nodded with a hot face.

Aldrea immediately sighed in both their heads. ((Dak, my mother's not going to try an attack you with a needle.))

At this Dak snorted, "You tell that to that poor plant's petals she skewered!"

((Dak, for goodness sake, she wasn't –)) Aldrea began but stopped short and palmed her face in irritation. ((Alright, look, the more we argue, the more time we'll waste; so if you tell me what to find to use here, will you let me treat you?))

"Yes." Dak nodded.

((Good. Now sit.)) Aldrea ordered, gently pushing him to the ground. Dak complied with a slight smile. ((Now, what do we need?))

After nearly two hours of surprisingly complicated explanations, somewhat comical attempts of pulling bark off of trees and getting loose from sticky tree sap and a few moments of heated bickering; Dak found himself with Aldrea carefully tying a piece of vine around a large and tightly wrapped leaf that acted as a makeshift bandage. She had set herself down on the ground nest to him and all her eyes were shining with concentration as her fingers trembled while she tightened the knot and doubled it for good measure. All the while, he watched her with a calm and quiet gaze.

Finally, after a few more seconds of silence, she finished and leaned back to admire her handy-work. ((There. It's not perfect, but it should be able to hold you over until that gash heals. How does it feel?))

Poking the leaf experimentally, Dak said, ". . . It still feels a bit tender but it's better than it was before." All the while, testing the bandage as he rotated his arm a few times. It bunched up a bit around the middle and it itched where the edges touched his elbow blades. "I only wished you found a much softer leaf."

Aldrea, noticing his discomfort, couldn't help but look away and huff indignantly, ((Well, if you don't like it, I'm sure we can take you to the scoop to have it checked out –))

"I never said I didn't like it, Aldrea." Dak said abruptly, cutting her off. Placing his hand on her shoulder to grab her attention, he added, "If you really think that it's necessary for me to keep it on than I will until you say otherwise. After all, I can't let all your hard-work go to waste now, can I?"

This time, Aldrea was the one whose face grew hot. She blinked at him for a few moments in surprise, her hearts beating profoundly. Suddenly, she snapped her head around and crossed her arms in embarrassment as she said in a mixture of breathlessness and crossness, ((You better not. Or the next time you hurt yourself like this, I'll force you to the scoop and stick you with a needle myself!))

Dak, easily catching her tone, smiled, "Is that a threat I hear, Aldrea?"

((You better believe it, Dak.)) Aldrea smiled with her eyes.

"Oh, that I do, Aldrea." Dak replied as he rubbed the bandage in absent fondness. "That I do."


	4. Chapter 4: Face

**_Chapter 4:_**

**_Face_**

((Dak, it's right behind you! Get it!))

"Huh? Wha – Oh, right, got it!"

_THUD!_

((Dak! You missed it!))

"Yeah, now it's behind _you_!"

((Alright, I got it!))

_CRASH!_

((Oof!)) Aldrea exclaimed, falling to the ground after losing her balance on her hoofs and bumping her flank hard against a tree trunk.

"Aldrea! Are you alright?" Dak asked, coming over and carefully helping her back up with his two clawed hands.

((Yes, I'm fine, Dak.)) Aldrea said, a little winded and slightly bruised at her pride but accepted the help nonetheless. ((More importantly, where'd it go?))

"I have no idea. Odds are that it's out of our reach now." Dak shrugged as he rubbed where he had fallen on his stomach sorely.

((Wonderful. Just great.)) Aldrea huffed as she crossed her arms.

The creature that they had just been after had surprised them earlier when it had suddenly scuttled out of the trees and crossed their path.

It was a small thing; with a long lithe body covered in reddish purple fur ending with a short and stumpy tail, three sets of paws with two large claws at the tip of the first set, a round head that held a short and flat mouth with a two pairs of beady black eyes. Aldrea was immediately captivated with it as to Dak who didn't like the way the little animal was looking at him.

It didn't help things when it suddenly jumped behind them and bit Dak's tail, earning a screech of surprise from the Hork-Bajir Seer.

Thus, the chase began.

Dak took to following it whenever it tried to escape them by climbing into the trees and Aldrea competed with it whenever it came to the ground. It had proven more difficult to capture it then they had anticipated; what with his rapid scuttling through the jagged landscape, clever mind through the some of the twisted gnarls and roots in the ground and quick reflexes whenever one of them even came close to grabbing it.

Regardless of nearly acquiring their target, after nearly two hours of rigorous exercise, heavy cursing and near head-on collisions, the little creature had managed to evade them by escaping into the confines of a small tunnel that was dug in the ground. The hole was too small for even Aldrea's tiny hand to stick into and she, in all honesty, didn't want to risk it on the account of what happened to Dak's tail.

Which, pretty much, left the two haggard and exhausted, both with bruised prides.

All in all, it had not been their best day.

"I can't believe that little rat got away!" Dak growled, his tail swishing angrily behind him.

((You said it, Dak. What in the world was it anyway?)) Aldrea added as she looked up at him.

"I remember a Hork-Bajir named Sept mentioning something about a creature that looked just like what we chased once. Something about them always appearing out of nowhere, biting our tails for some _really_ strange reason, then taking off just as quickly. I didn't really believe him, but now I do. For obvious reasons." Dak said bitterly as he rubbed the bite-mark on his tail.

((And to think, we've wasted nearly half the afternoon trying to catch it!)) Aldrea huffed again, her own tail whipping behind her in frustration. ((That thing made a fool out of the both of us! If I ever see it again, I swear I'll morph into a _Chadoo_, chase it down and –))

Dak's face suddenly broke out in a smile then silently chuckled.

Unfortunately, Aldrea heard him and immediately swiveled her stalk eyes towards him. ((Dak, why are you chuckling?))

"Your face." Dak said simply with a smile.

((What?)) Aldrea blinked at him. ((My face? What about it?))

Dak kept laughing quietly for a moment or two before finally saying, "Did you know that whenever you get frustrated, your nose crinkles up and your stalk eyes cross themselves into a tangle?" As he gestured to the said parts impishly.

Aldrea's eyes widened in embarrassment. ((W-What?! I – I didn't – They do not!)) She then stuttered indignantly.

"How would you know that? Your eyes were closed the entire time!"

((How in the world does that matter?!))

"Now you're just trying to change the subject."

((I am not!))

"Ah, you see? Your eyes are doing it again."

((Dak, for the last time, they are not –)) Aldrea reached up towards her stalk eyes in emphasis but stopped short. Her fingertips brushed against the fur of her appendages, immediately feeling a knot in between them. She didn't need to switch her sight to see that her hand suddenly looked criss-crossed in front of her stalks.

In spite of herself, her face instantly grew hot.

Dak, from in front of her, rolled his eyes smugly. "See, what'd I tell you?"

Aldrea refused to respond at first. In flash, she brought her hands up and started to undo her stalks in a fluster. ((You could've told me about this before now!))

"I didn't think it'd matter until now." Dak crossed his arms simply.

((Of course it matters, Dak! How is someone supposed to take you seriously if your stalk eyes are all twisted up like this?!))

"Oh, come on, Aldrea. I've seen you like this before and you were fine with it then."

It took a moment or two for Aldrea to process what Dak said with a straight face. ((. . . . . Pardon?))

"You've done this at least eight times since I've known you. You've hardly ever minded then so what's the problem with it now?" Dak stated.

((. . . . . . . . I've done this before?))

"Yes."

((. . . . . . . . Eight times?))

"Yes."

((. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And you _never_ bothered to _tell_ me?))

"Like I said, I didn't think it'd matter until now." Dak absently scratched the side of his beak impishly. "Personally, to me, it doesn't really make any difference. It doesn't really make you look that much different; I can tell that it's you from a distance unless when you're a _Chadoo_ and I'm sure that you'll still be able to see the same as us– Aldrea, why are you looking at me like that?"

The look that was on Aldrea's face was rather hard to decipher; it kept on changing from the different emotions that were running through her head. It changed from shocked, to embarrassed, to disbelief and finally to anger. Pure. _Red Hot_. **_Anger_**.

Obiviously, her now narrowed golden eyes, crinkled up nose and slightly Tail were making Dak a little more than nervous.

Suddenly, a little too quickly for Dak's comfort, her face fell and she smiled sweetly with both sets of eyes. ((Dak, do you have any idea what female Andalites do to males who have scorned them?))

Dak was almost too worried about her sudden mood-swings to answer. Regardless, he weakly raised an eye-ridge and said, "No, I can't say I do."

((It's simple, Dak. All we little females do is **_THIS!_**)) Aldrea's tail whipped out with a "whoosh!" and would've chopped Dak's head right off if he hadn't ducked in the nick of time.

"YAH!" Dak exclaimed as he continued dodging her tail-blade. "Aldrea, what are you doing?!"

((I'm giving you a crash course on how to properly treat females!)) Aldrea huffed angrily, continuing her lashing with pure, agitated force.

"I thought I was treating you properly!"

((Males actually let females know on how they look if something looks out of place to them and make sure to inform them so that they can fix it so they won't look ridiculous!))

"I did let you know!"

((That didn't stop you from laughing!))

"I wasn't laughing! I was chuckling! There's a difference!"

((Which there's going to be with you once I get my blade on you!))

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to stay exactly as I am, right now!"

((Like I'm letting you get away with that!))

"Would it help if I said "Sorry"?!"

((Hardly, Dak! Come here!))

"No, no, no, no, no, Aldrea – You keep that blade away from me, – ACK! CAREFUL!"

((Oh, I will be, I promise you that, now HOLD STILL!))

The small creature from before chittered as it climbed out of the hole and climbed to a high rock nearby. Tweaking it's head curiously at the noise, it watched the two bigger creatures with simple amusement.

The big female giant with a huge flank and a claw coming out of her tail was yelling in anger towards the much bigger male giant who was covered in claws and at the moment exclaiming in fear as he scrambled to get away from her and her tail-claw.

It was a rather funny sight to watch. Maybe he would help the female catch the male later. After all, a sudden bit on the tail will make any giant panic . . . The creature chittered again in mischief.


	5. Chapter 5: Accept

**_Chapter 5:_**

**_Accept_**

At first, Barafin didn't like Dak.

The first reason Barafin didn't like Dak was made mostly out of fear.

The Hork-Bajir was at twice as tall as he was, was buried up to his neck in lethal blades and rippling muscles and his grotesque face always left him shaking in his hoofs. Dak could easily nail him down and rip him in half if he wanted to; Barafin believed that, without a doubt in his mind, if he did he would leave nothing behind but shredded hoofs, clumps of fur and a severed tail-blade.

He wouldn't admit it out loud but he even had nightmares about that experience that resulted in him waking up in the middle of the night and playing holo-games until dawn out of the sake of comfort.

That fear was quickly quelled when Dak introduced himself to him the first time ever since they came to the Hork-Bajir home-world.

He had caught a glimpse of Barafin peeking out the Scoop entryway when Dak had come on one of his very few visits to the said place intending to see Aldrea. Barafin was just about to turn tail and run away, as undignified as it was, when Dak suddenly appeared in front of him – _How the yaolin can something as big as him move that fast? _– And held out a clawed hand in greeting towards him saying, "Hello, I am Dak Hamee. Who are you?"

He wasn't too formal about it but it wasn't that brash either . . . All Barafin could think of to do was blink in bewilderment.

"I saw you once before. When you, Aldrea and your parents came here in that, erm, what was the word . . . "Scoop" months ago, right?"

Barafin didn't answer back. Dak still held out his hand awkwardly at him.

"It wasn't too hard to remember you; you were the one who was kind of scared to come near me because of my blades – Oh, no offense! I'm sure you had your reasons."

Barafin finally gained some courage to look up at him with his stalk eyes. He tried to stiffen his legs when he caught a glimpse of his face and nearly toppled in fear. So much for Andalite Courage.

"I can't really remember your name though, wasn't it, like, "Garatin" or something like that?"

Barafin held back the urge to correct him in fear of the claws that still hovered near him.

"Well, in any case, I'm glad I can finally talk to you face-to-face. Aldrea's mentioned you a couple of times before. It's nice to finally be able to meet someone else of Aldrea's family."

Barafin looked at the hand again and actually considered taking it for a moment but deciding against it a second later. The tips of his claws could dig right through the fur and skin of his hand and he didn't even want to consider the possibility of the number of broken bones and pierced nerves –

((Ah, Dak, hello!)) Aldrea's voice mentally rang out from behind him, very close to making him whip his tail in surprise.

Aldrea trotted out from behind him and smiled with her eyes up towards Dak. ((I was waiting forever for you. I was starting to think that you wouldn't come.))

"Now why would I do that?" Dak replied. He kept his hand out towards Barafin absently.

((Didn't you say that you never wanted to come near my mother or her . . . Hmm, what did you call them . . . Oh yes! Her "Needles from Father Deep" again?)) Aldrea teased him with a raised eye-ridge.

"Ha, ha, ha, very funny." Dak said dryly, his face falling in embarrassment.

((Anyways, I seen you've finally met Barafin.)) Barafin twitched when Aldrea turned her stalk eyes towards him. ((I thought you two were never going to meet.))

""Barafin"? So that's his name?"

((You didn't know?))

"Well, I recalled hearing his name before and I tried asking him about it, but he's kind of been a little quiet ever since I came over –"

((I'm _right_ here. I can _hear_ you two.)) Barafin stated with arms crossed in annoyance.

Instantly, he realized he had said that aloud and regretted it when both Aldrea and Dak had turned their heads towards him.

An awkward silence passed over the three of them for a few moments.

Finally Dak broke it by saying in surprise, "Oh, you can talk! Is that a relief! For a second I was wondering if I didn't understand thought-speak anymore."

((You'll always be able to understand it, Dak.)) Aldrea pointed out to him. ((The universal translator will always be capable of directly literate and rectify any species, be it speaker or listener, and still function properly after a good amount of data-gathering and language-displacement.))

"Nice use of big words," Dak complimented. "But you do realize I'm still learning about all of this "Universal" and "Species" business, right?"

Aldrea's face grew warm for a moment before she fought it back and said in a slightly apologetic tone, ((Oh, right, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting who I'm talking to sometimes, and as you know, tend to ramble.))

Dak simply waved his free hand at her. "No need to be sorry, I get like that too, sometimes . . ."

Barafin simply blinked up at the both of them with both pairs of eyes in a mixture of bewilderment, shock, surprise and confusion.

Aldrea was talking so easily to Hork-Bajir like he was one of her Academy friends and Dak was behaving as well-mannered and naturally as any other Andalite male. Barafin had absolutely no idea what to think.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Aldrea's hand suddenly come over the hand Dak had originally intended for him and grasp it like it was nothing. She didn't even seem to notice the claws as she began to pull him along, playfully. ((Come on, Dak. We need to hurry if we're going through the forests before evening!))

"Alright, alright, Aldrea, I'm coming, don't rush." Dak reassured her as he allowed her to continue with her antics. Before they got too far, Dak turned his head back and called out to Barafin with something he had to assume as a smile, "It was nice meeting you, Barafin! We should talk again soon. Good evening!"

With that, the Hork-Bajir and his older sister had disappeared into the hills; leaving Barafin staring after them, utterly stupefied.

The second reason Barafin didn't like Dak, was mostly made out of envy.

It was clear to Barafin that Dak and Aldrea were growing closer each day they were together.

What he mostly heard of their conversations at times, the two practically talked about everything; about their lives, their habits, their interests, their knowledge, their families. It was astonishing that they actually found a moment to breathe. When they weren't talking, Barafin could clearly tell the type of conversation they were having with the right signs. If he heard either his sister's mental laughter or Dak's loud chuckles, they were talking about something that seemed funny to them. If he saw Aldrea either smacking Dak's arm playfully or simply placing a hand on his arm she was trying to be serious or comfort him as she usually did.

Dak and Aldrea managed to have some fun at times; he remembered one occasion when he had been looking out a window and saw them racing. Dak was jumping through the trees and swinging like a maniac while Aldrea swerved and galloped through the ragged slopes and twisting plains of the ground with her usual Andalite female subtlety. Aldrea won easily, leaving Dak to feign anger at her until she patted his shoulder jokingly patronizing manner. How she could miss those blades so easily was beyond him. But sure enough, he smiled back at her with that mouth of his, as it would seem, and removed her hand as carefully as he could.

That was something else that bothered Barafin.

On a few occasions, he had actually watched Dak either holding his sister's hand or straying a little too close to her for a couple of seconds or a minute longer than really necessary before he backing off.

On even more few occasions, Aldrea didn't mind it. Once in a white moon, she even went as far as to straying a little closer to _him_ or holding _his_ hand for a couple of seconds or a minute more than necessary.

Needless to say, Barafin did not like that one little bit.

It didn't help when Dak had actually figured out how to beat one _extremely_, _unbelievably_ hard holo-Dracon beam game level before him in a matter of seconds; whereas it took him a total of **_two months_**.

Barafin had just watched his holo-ship die for at least the thirtieth time on the holo-screen. His hands lingered on the key-board and came up only to rub his eye-ridge in frustration.

That last stupid enemy ship always caught him blind each time he was close to beating the level. It would either come at him from the north or the south and always took him down with two simple blasts before he could even get one shot in.

At this rate, he was probably better off at calling it quits on the game before he set a rather new embarrassing record for the most losses on one level –

"Did you try keeping the ship where it was? Odds are whenever you keep swerving the ship left to right that's when it best gets the drop on you."

At the sound of that voice Barafin nearly whipped his tail in surprise. Again.

He swung his stalk eyes around and felt his hearts drop at the – _What was it, scrutinizing or terrifying?_ – face of Dak Hamee. He had been leaning in from behind him and kept his eyes on the holo-screen seemingly unknowledgeable of Barafin's shock.

((W-wh-when did you –?)) Barafin started, his confused eyes never leaving Dak's face. ((How did you –?))

Dak either didn't hear the stuttered question or didn't acknowledge it as he said, "If you keep the ship straight on, you'll be able to attack the other ship and keep with its' level of surprise." With that last bit of advice, he left the room, no doubt in search of Aldrea.

Barafin kept his place for a couple of minutes. He wasn't sure when he turned around and restarted the level but surely enough when he subconsciously tried Dak's Advice; it came through.

The enemy ship was obliterated and he had finally conquered the game.

In victory, he simply slammed his head against the computer panel until he began seeing stars.

The final reason Barafin didn't like Dak, was mostly made out of worry.

Barafin didn't think much about what kind of connection Aldrea had with Dak or what kind of things they really discussed whenever they were alone together. He didn't really think much on rather Dak ever actually doing anything that would protect his sister from the common and most likely dangerous threats that surrounded the Hork-Bajir Home-World. He didn't really think much on whether or not Aldrea actually thought of him or their father or their mother or even him at all whenever she was with Dak. Sure, Dak had once mentioned that Aldrea had mentioned him a couple of times whenever they had gone out into the forests or Great _Galifrash_ tree knows where but that wasn't all to reassuring that came from the mouth of a stranger. A strange alien at that.

When Barafin actually did think about that sort of thing, he worried if Aldrea had forgotten all about him when she had started being friends with Dak.

Barafin, being the Andalite male that he was, felt a need to protect his sister. Regardless of the fact he was her younger brother and it was originally the older siblings that took care of the younger. If only he would actually act on the need instead of forcing himself to stay cooped inside his room all day and play Holo-Games till his fingers hurt.

If only he wasn't so worried that Dak would hurt Aldrea.

Dak seemed nice enough from his few brief encounters with the Hork-Bajir; but that didn't mean that he was harmless. Just one swipe of those blades or one punch from him and Aldrea would be bruised and shredded like there was no tomorrow.

He almost thought his fears were confirmed one day when he saw Aldrea's delicate hand covered in a thick layer of medical tape.

When he asked about it, she told him it was only a little cut and an accident had caused it; all too naturally, he didn't believe it. His suspicion was only fueled when he heard Dak actually confess to being the inflictor. Not to his face, of course, he was eavesdropping as only the best way that little brothers can when Dak had once again returned to the Scoop to visit Aldrea.

He had kept himself concealed beneath a pane of window glass and used every ounce of his self-control to keep his tail-blade and his temper in check so he wouldn't do something rash like gallop out and swipe at Dak for all that it was worth. Outside, Aldrea and Dak were talking from a distance but Barafin could still pick up every ounce of their conversation clear as day.

". . . How is your hand? Does it still hurt?" Dak had asked, concern lacing his voice.

((Dak, really, it's fine. I promise, it doesn't even hurt anymore.)) Aldrea sounded, trying to sound reassuring for him.

Unable to make sense of the conversation from just listening to it, Barafin carefully raised his stalk eyes far up enough to see out the window. There he could just barely make out Dak hunching slightly over Aldrea as she held her injured hand out towards him.

He saw Dak fidget nervously for a second before he said, "It wouldn't have been hurt in the first place if I had watched what I was doing."

Aldrea frowned up at him with her eyes. ((Dak, it wasn't your fault. I should've told you I was there, I was being careless, not you.))

"Regardless, Aldrea," Dak replied, hesitating only a moment before carefully and delicately taking her injured hand into his two clawed hands. "It was _my_ blade that cut your hand. Imagine what would've happened if the blade actually went furthur deep; you probably would've lost your hand and this arm would be nothing but a stump. It would be all my fault."

((It's still here, isn't it?)) Aldrea commented sullenly. ((It's still here, so stop feeling so guilty already.))

"But, Aldrea –" Dak started, but Aldrea cut him off.

((But nothing, Dak. It'll heal and my hand will still be here.)) Aldrea then gently pressed her free hand over his hands, once again avoiding the claws. ((So stop fretting now, okay?))

". . . . . . . Alright. I'll stop worrying about your hand. But that doesn't mean that I'll stop worrying about you." Dak promised sincerely. Barafin held back the urge to become ill. He was surprised however, when Dak then added, "After all, if you get hurt because of me, I doubt your family will think very well of me afterwards."

Dak was the one who needed help.

He had hurt a an Andalite Prince's daughter, due to carelessness apparently, was lingering beyond Aldrea's normal female Andalite personal boundaries by holding her hand the way he was; and he was worried about her _well-being_ and _family_ more?

Barafin had absolutely no idea what to think.

Barafin then heard Aldrea say, equally as sincerely as Dak did, ((. . . . That's all I'm asking for, Dak. Thank you.)) He then saw her gripping his large, meaty hand with her own delicate, multi-fingered hand.

That finally gave Barafin an answer to his question.

He waited until the two had gone; Aldrea to the fields to gallop with Father and Dak to the forests to do more flipping and tossing himself into the trees. Barafin then pushed himself back onto his hoofs and trotted back to his room to play more holo-games.

At first, Barafin didn't like Dak Hamee.

But if he truly did have his Older Sister's best interests at heart . . . . Maybe he could learn how to.


	6. Chapter 6: Hand

**_Chapter 6:_**

**_Hand_**

If there was something Dak rarely thought greatly about it was one thing; the stark differences between his and Aldrea's hands.

His four-fingered hands were large, thick and tough. They were callous from years of climbing the rough textured bark of massively tall trees and seemed to take on a sort of brownish green color as he was often told by Aldrea. He still unclear as to the concept of naming colors and such so he appreciated Aldrea's input on that matter. Claws decorated the tips of his fingers and traveled all the way down to the bottom of his wrist and were apparently _very_lethal-looking according to Aldrea and the very few Andalites he had encountered.

He, obviously, never actually saw them as such due to using them for his life-long duty of harvesting bark. But now, each time he saw the glint of fear in Aldrea's eyes or some other Andalites, he couldn't help but feel the nervous apprehension towards them.

Aldrea's hands were a completely different matter.

Her seven-fingered hands were small, delicate and lithe. They were soft and flawless, barely containing any muscle at all which was actually normal for Andalite females, she once said somewhat bitterly; and covered by a thin hide of purple near indigo fur. Despite being dull at the tip of each finger which Dak thought was extremely odd, they could still move faster individually and still express some form of strength in one way or another.

She easily slapped him on the arm without care or concern whenever she was pretending to be upset at something he either did or said and they always seemed to keep eerily still each time one of her fingers begun to draw close or even trace over some the blades that decorated his body. They always looked so foreign whenever they hovered over his own hands and at times, Dak couldn't help but stare for long bouts of time.

It was often during those times that Dak wondered how Aldrea was always willing to touch him as she did without fear.

((– Dak, are you listening to me?)) Aldrea's mental voice broke into his mind.

Dak jumped slightly in surprise and teetered slightly on the deep hill slope he had been sitting on. Aldrea stood from in front of him and looked somewhat amused to him as her one side of her forehead was arched and all her golden eyes seem to flicker with humor. Composing himself, Dak then said, "I-I- I'm sorry, Aldrea, what were you saying?"

((Dak, I was talking about the sunset!)) Aldrea said pointing towards the quickly darkening sky. Dak felt his mouth turn upward in embarrassment. He had completely forgotten that he and Aldrea had come by the ledge they currently resided only a few moments ago to view the last few moments of daylight. He was so lost in his thoughts; he didn't even notice the sky turning burnt amber from the fading light of Mother Sky's flower – er, the sun.

"Sorry, Aldrea, I was just thinking." Dak apologized.

((Thinking about what?)) Aldrea asked.

"Nothing important. Just . . . . . Just things."

((Things that result in you staring at me for minutes on end?))

"Oh, I hoped you didn't notice that."

((I notice everything, Dak. With two sets of eyes, it's a little hard not to.))

"Is that sarcasm I'm hearing, Aldrea?"

((I am more familiar with it then you think, Dak.))

"You know I meant that as a joke, right?"

((Why do think I'm not threatening to kick you with my hoofs right now?))

"Well, I'm assuming you don't want to ruin your appetite, considering that you apparently eat with those hoofs of yours."

((You've begun getting a weird sense of humor lately, Dak.))

"And who do you think is to blame for that?"

((Alright, alright, point taken. Enough already.)) Aldrea held her hands up in mock surrender to which Dak smiled at. Taking her hands down, she looked at him again with her main eyes. ((Seriously though, is something the matter? You look rather depressed.))

Dak blinked at her. "Like I said, it's nothing really important. It's only . . . It's only . . ." His voice felt silent as he played with his fingers' claw-tips absently as he looked toward the ground.

((It's only what, Dak?)) Aldrea asked him, her tone betraying concern.

Dak kept silent for a few moments before glancing up at her and sighing. "I . . . I can't really lie to you, Aldrea, can I?"

((Not really.)) Aldrea smiled at him light-heartedly with her eyes. ((I'm not sure if you've noticed but, in actuality, you're a terrible liar.))

"Yes. You've mentioned that before." Dak chuckled. "I can't help but think . . ."

((Can't help but think what?))

". . . . . . Aldrea, be honest with me about something."

((Of course, Dak, what is it?))

"Well . . . Doesn't it bother you how I look sometimes? Like whenever I'm compared to you or another Andalite?"

((How do you mean, "Bother me", Dak?))

"Aldrea, come on, it's obvious that I'm actually somewhat – _uh, what's the word?_ – "Horrendous"-looking to some of you Andalites."

((What do you mean, "Horrendous", Dak?))

Dak frowned. "Aldrea, it's rather obvious what I mean; I mean, look at me!" Dak gestured to himself somewhat madly. "I'm three times taller than you. I don't have a speck of fur on me anywhere, and believe me, I've checked! Instead of one blade I have at least over a dozen all over me. If anything I look more like the _Rachlas _plant then an actual Andalite!"

Aldrea gave him a look. ((. . . You seem to be comparing yourself to me a lot in that statement.))

Dak frowned and looked down to the ground, refusing to show her the embarrassment in his eyes.

Aldrea looked at him for a moment in silence. She then quietly walked over to him and took his hand into hers, surprising him.

((Dak,)) She started, keeping her main eyes on Dak's hands and her stalk eyes on his eyes. ((You really shouldn't compare yourself with other people and begin to doubt yourself so recklessly.))

"It's not a matter of being reckless, Aldrea." Dak stated. "It's a matter of being factual."

((Factual?)) Aldrea repeated, looking up at him with all eyes. ((About what?))

"Well . . ." Dak scratched at his horn. He tried to think of something reasonable to say. He looked down at their joined hands and let out a breath of air. "Look at our hands. The both of them are completely different."

Aldrea looked and raised an eye ridge at him. ((Explain, Dak.))

Dak blinked at her. "Well . . . My hands are thicker than yours. I have blades on my fingers and you don't. I have three less fingers than the seven you have. I cut more things with these hands than I actually hold. Like that one time –" Dak stopped himself before he said anymore.

Aldrea finished that statement for him. ((– Like that one time you cut me by accident?)) Dak didn't reply. Aldrea looked down at their hands again. Dak was being as careful holding her hand in his as he had done many times before; being gentle in holding his grip, keeping his claws turned on their sides so he wouldn't scratch her by accident and being mindful of engulfing her entire hand into his.

Aldrea mentally sighed. ((Dak?))

"Yes?" Dak said.

((It's not as bad to have a hand like yours with mine as you think.)) Aldrea stated.

"What do you mean?" Dak asked, confused.

((Well, for instance, you remember when you brought me the _Chadoo_ so I could acquire it for the first time?))

"Yes."

((You remember how easily the _Chadoo_ came towards you without any fear?))

"Yes."

((Do you want to know why I think it did so?))

"Because I was luring it out with tree sap?"

((Well, yes, there was that. But also because it could sense the owner of the hand luring it to him was good.))

"I'm not sure I'm following you."

((It could sense you were good, Dak. It didn't matter that you could've easily sliced its' wings off if you wanted to, which I sincerely doubt you wanted. It could see you were good. That was all.))

"How could it though?"

((That's a good question, Dak. No one can really for sure if just anyone can be good or bad. Some have to watch and listen to others for years and some just decide on the moment. But the results are often the same.))

Dak looked down at her after that. He was silent for a long time before saying, ". . . . . . . . . . . And which one do you think you fall under? Do watch, listen and wait? Or do you just decide?"

Aldrea looked up at him with all sets of eyes. ((. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I can't really say. But I do know one thing for sure.))

Dak raised an eye ridge at her. "Oh? And what's that?"

Aldrea surprised him by raising the hand she held in her own running her fingertips over the tips of his claws. ((If any Andalite male attempted to try and mimic the Hork-Bajir and try to add claws onto his own fingers, he would never be able to do with class the way you do.)) She stated with smiling golden/green eyes.

Dak didn't really know what to say. He simply smiled his regular horrific-looking smile and asked light-heartedly, "Well in that case, would mind if I hold your hand as we watch the sunset?"

Aldrea didn't answer. All she did was grip Dak's hand into hers and turn them towards the last few moments of sunset.

Neither one said a word. They didn't have to. Dak already had his answer.

His four-fingered hands were large, thick and tough. Her seven-fingered hands were small, delicate and lithe.

His hands were callous from years of climbing the rough textured bark of massively tall trees and seemed to take on a sort of brownish green color. Her hands were soft and flawless, barely containing any muscle at all and covered by a thin hide of purple near indigo fur.

Claws decorated the tips of his fingers and traveled all the way down to the bottom of his wrist and were lethal if ever need be. Hers were dull at the tip of each finger, could still move faster individually and still express some form of strength in one way or another.

Their hands were different. So different they were stark. Their hands were their own.

It was as simple as that.


End file.
